(originally posted 1/22/2018)
If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is that nothing in life is permanent. Yet we all live our lives as if that is not true. A few years ago, when my dog Comet passed away, I wrote in a blog about an article that I read by Judith Lasater* in which she said that she once saw some Tibetan monks making a very intricately designed sand mandala (a geometric design representing the entire universe). The monks spent months working on this project, arranging the sand grain by grain, and then when it was complete, they destroyed it. In fact, they celebrated destroying it, as they were celebrating impermanence in life.
Currently, I am going through another transition in life. After 20+ years of teaching Yoga, I have decided to retire from the Yoga teaching business. I may continue to see clients privately for Yoga Therapy, but in about a month or two, I will no longer be teaching Yoga classes.
This decision has been a long time coming, and I have been contemplating what to do about the business, as I feel like I did not spend the last 15 years building Tranquility Yoga in order to simply shut it down. To this end, I have been looking for a way to transition out of the business and continue to support our students.
As luck would have it (or perhaps it is the flow of Grace), the Chelmsford Wellness Center is looking for a new space and they have decided to move into the space across the lobby from Tranquility Yoga. This center provides a host of alternative healing therapies, as well as some gentle Yoga classes, and they are interested in expanding and taking over the space where Tranquility Yoga has been. The owner, Holly Bickerstaffe, is very excited about this opportunity and would like to keep things consistent at Tranquility Yoga as much as possible. Our teachers, Phil, Brenda and Carol are all interested in continuing to teach Svaroopa Yoga, and Holly and I have been talking about how this could work.
What does this mean for you, our students? For now, we are hoping that very little will change for you. We are currently working on a plan which would allow Phil, Brenda’s and Carol’s classes to continue as they have been. However, you may notice a few differences in the next month. In order to give Holly time to put some systems in place, we are suspending the sale of class packages. This means that if you have a package, you can use it up, and once it is used up, you can continue to come (in fact, we encourage you to come) and just pay by the class. ALL CLASSES purchased after today will be $22.00, until Holly fully takes over which may be March 1 or April 1. At that time, she will re-instate the system of class package pricing and you will be able to get discounts for multiple classes.
This transition for me is challenging, but also a cause for celebration. While I am sad to be giving up the business, I am also ready for a change and feeling excited about starting a new chapter in my life. I am deeply grateful for the support of all the teachers at Tranquility Yoga over the past 15 years. I could never have done this without you. And to our students, I deeply appreciate all of you and hope that you have come a little closer to finding your own true nature through attending our classes. May Grace be with you always.
